What’s On Your Playlist?

On Sunday evening, we met on Twitter for our every-other-week chat (#carechat). Our discussion focused on caregiving must-haves, those supplies, resources and perspectives you need to make it through your caregiving days. I started our discussion with this question, “On a bad caregiving day, what’s your must-have for comfort?”

One of our participants (@tstallone) shared this answer: “I enjoy all kinds of music. However, on a bad day, I have a pre-made playlist on my iPod that reflects my feelings.”

I thought this was such a great idea–reaching for pre-made playlists that provide a lift or a comfort or a break. So, I’d love to know, What’s on your playlists? Please share the songs you listen to during your caregiving day and how they help.

About Denise

I began working with family caregivers in 1990 and launched CareGiving.com in 1996 to help and support them. Through my blog, I share words of comfort and offer coping strategies and tips. I also write opinion pieces about recent research, community programs and media coverage of caregiving issues. I've written several caregiving books, including "The Caregiving Years, Six Stages to a Meaningful Journey," "Take Comfort, Reflections of Hope for Caregivers" and "After Caregiving Ends, A Guide to Beginning Again." You can purchase my books and schedule a coaching call with me in our store.

5 thoughts on “What’s On Your Playlist?”

Oh my gosh, just about anything sung by Straight No Chaser! I LOVE listening to them and it brings back awesome memories of a concert we all attended in March. My favorite thing is now my son and I sing along with their songs while we do the dishes!

I’m currently grooving on electro-swing, especially Caravan Palace and Parov Stelar, for exercise music. When I need something calm I turn to ambient artists like Steve Roach and Erik Wollo. For jazz I love work by people like Jean-Luc Ponty, Lyle Mays, and Miles Davis. When I need to return to my classical roots it’s the music of the Sergeis (Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev), Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Ottorino Respighi, Isaac Albeniz, Alberto Ginastera — I can go on and on — up to living composers like Steve Reich, John Adams, Einojuhani Rautavaara, and Michael Torke. My favorite rock band is the Moody Blues (especially circa 1970s). For cathartic music that reflects a bad day, I turn to performers like Depeche Mode. My favorite “angry” fight-back song is probably the Bronski Beat’s “Why?” followed by the to-hell-and-back Ninth Wave series of Kate Bush.

I mentioned during the chat that when I needed to lift my spirits in public, I turned to the wacky jazz of Raymond Scott (he’s literally provided cartoon music), particularly the tribute to him by the Beau Hunks Sextette on their CD Celebrations on the Planet Mars. Another great mood-lifter is just about anything Klezmer. And I simply cannot drive while listening to the latter part of George Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody #2, not if I want to stay within the speed limit.

I always listen to classical music in the afternoon when I get a chance to lay down/relax since our house is devoid of music. I think folks with hearing aides don’t listen to music because it doesn’t sound right anymore?? I will always listen to music no matter what!

Nicole got a new itouch generation 4 for her birthday and so she gave me her generation 2 itouch and for the first time ever I have an ipod/itouch. Granted it is two years old and is a dinosaur and I can’t use the kindle or ibooks app because it doesn’t have the iOS app/hardware which stinks but …. Denise had suggested that since I have such anxiety/overwhelmingness when I have to de-clutter and make a decision what to do with things that I create a playlist on my itouch to listen to when I de-clutter. So this is what I have started doing. Here is my list:

Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
Cry Out to Jesus – Third Day
Here I Am – MercyMe
Hold my Hand – Hootie and the Blowfish
I Can Only Imagine – MercyMe
If Everyone Cared – Nickelback
If Today Was Your Last Day – Nickelback
Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Set Fire to the Rain – Adele
Sorry – Buckcherry
White Flag – Dido
Who Am I – Casting Crowns

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